Hello from Tennessee!! It goes without saying, we are beach people, but if I had to pick a 2nd favorite place in the world (okay, maybe not in the whole world) it would be Gatlinburg, TN.  Have you been? The scenery is beyond gorgeous.  The mountains, rivers and shop-filled streets have provided my family with so much happiness over the years.

For those of you who know my son, JP, his personal side of Heaven will look something like downtown Gatlinburg.  It’s a haven for anyone who likes to (obsessively) collect things. I love seeing the smile painted across his face as he walks up and down the streets.  Priceless.

For Christmas this past year, Santa brought all of us seasons passes to Dollywood!  When we were married, JP’s dad and I had passes for the three of us each year and I’ve really missed going.  The best part is, the rest of my family has NEVER been! It is going to be so much fun to share this experience with them. Especially Preston – he’s our little dare devil when it comes to roller coasters. 

We packed up the day-care-mobile Sunday afternoon and headed up the mountain. The ride was pretty smooth, but I would like to give a shout out to Redbox and DVD players, because if someone (or something) saves your life, it deserves a shout out.  Six kiddos buckled in a car for 2.5 hours – that’s all I have to say. 

Obviously I am B.E.A.T tonight, (Monday), so I’m just gonna leave you with a few from our first full day in the park…

Happy Tuesday, friends!